


Ask Me Again

by XxAngelicMurderxX



Category: Captain America - All Media Types, The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Anal Sex, Animalistic Rage, Anxiety Attacks, BDSM, Biting, Bottom Bucky Barnes, Choking, Consensual Kink, Consensual Sex, Crying, Dom Bucky Barnes, Dominant Bottom Bucky, Emotional Wedding, Feminization, Hair Kink, Hair-pulling, Humiliation, M/M, Major Steve/Tony Feels, Marking, Marriage, Marriage Proposal, Masochism, Masochistic Steve Rogers, Mild Blood, One Big Happy Family, Possessive Bucky Barnes, Post-Captain America: Civil War (Movie), Post-Serum Steve Rogers, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Rough Kissing, Rough Sex, Sadism, Sadistic Bucky Barnes, Scenting, Scratching, Sub Steve Rogers, Submissive Top Steve, The Avenger's are a family, Top Steve Rogers, Voyeurism, breath play, everyone is crying, light humiliation
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-09
Updated: 2016-08-22
Packaged: 2018-07-22 14:46:02
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 17,664
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7443172
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/XxAngelicMurderxX/pseuds/XxAngelicMurderxX
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"I took back what they stole from me, Steve. Now it's your turn to take back what they stole from you. So I'll say it one more time. Ask me again."</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I did not like how Civil War played out at all, so I reject the Russo Brother's reality and substitute my own. Therefore in my perfect Marvel reality, Bucky did not go back into cryo, but instead had the Doctors and Physicians in Wakanda successfully removed Hydra's brainwashing, Bucky did not get his arm blown off by Tony, no big fight happened between Tony, Steve and Bucky (they actually talked for god's sake before shit hit the fan), Team Cap did not get thrown into jail, Steve did not quit being Captain America, Steve and Tony's friendship mirrors that of the comics where they're actually really good friends and have come to appreciate and value each other, and finally all my babies are safe and sound and happy. Life is good and the bees are safe. Comments are welcomed, encouraged and greatly appreciated!

 It started out in brief flashes.

 For no apparent reason he’d hear voices murmuring something he could never make out no matter how hard he tried to listen. Or he’d see blurry figures standing in a circle with two people in the middle only for them to dissolve just as quickly as they appeared. He had only just begun to recover the lost pages. Just begun to reconstruct the complex tapestry that recounted the tragedy of one James Buchanan Barnes.

 Everything was muddled, like murky water. The scattered memories were all swirling together, trying to meld themselves back into a single entity deep within his subconscious; deep within his castle.

 His mind palace stands in ruins. What was once a towering castle whose insides were adorned with the most exquisite carvings, hand crafted by _his_ hands, those beautiful, artistic hands, now lay in scattered piles of charred ash. Among the piles lie the severed, bleeding heads of the hydra. The creature that decimated his palace; that tried to erase his memories; that stole his one and only love away from him for _seventy years_. _Seventy long, painful, empty years…_

 But it was by _his_ voice that he was awakened from his deep sleep; confined to the crumbling skeleton that was his mind palace.

_Then finish it…’Cause I’m with you ‘til the end of the line…_

That’s what sparked it…the rejuvenation…the reconstruction. That’s what saved him.

 The recalling of his memories was a very long and at times a very painful process. A certain smell or sound would fling him back into the murky waters of his memories. He felt like he was drowning. Couldn’t breathe. Arms failing to try and keep his head above water, but he was rapidly being dragged into the depths. He was scared. He was crying out for someone. _Damn it_ , he could never remember _who_ he was calling for, but all he knew was that he felt a sense of home every time that name was uttered.

 He was being dragged deeper and deeper. Delving further and further into the deep. The sound of rushing water roared in his ears. His lungs burned; felt like they were going to burst in his chest. The memories were seeping into his skull all at once, vying for the spaces they once occupied.

 It started out in brief flashes.

_“You know you don’t look like a James.”_

_“Oh? Then what do I look like then?”_

_“I’m not sure…but when I figure it out you’ll be the first to know.”_

 Time flowed like a river yearning to reach the sea…

_“Bucky.”_

_“Excuse me?”_

_“You look like a Bucky.”_

_Bucky…it felt right when he called him that. It felt as if God himself had spoken it._

_“Alright, Bucky it is then.”_

It was a war that tore them apart and it would be a war that would bring them back together.

  _“Don’t do anything stupid until I get back.”_

_“How can I? Takin’ all the stupid with you.”_

_“You’re a punk.”_

_“Jerk.”_

Given a thousand choices, a thousand possibilities, I’d always choose you.

  _“Bucky! Grab my hand!”_

_He tried with all his might. But he was only just out of reach._

_“Bucky! No!”_

_Falling. That’s the last thing he remembered. Falling. Seeing the train disappear through the tunnel. Seeing the love of his life fade away as the blackness seeped into his vision. Falling. He never stopped falling. No…he continued to fall. Deeper and deeper into the recesses of his mind palace as he felt the cold begin to eat away at the foundation._

_Sargent Barnes…You are going to be the new fist of Hydra._

_Bucky…_

_Wake up…_

_Hey…darlin’…_

Bucky’s eyes shot open; a gasp tearing through his lips. His entire body was drenched in sweat, soaked thoroughly through the bed sheets. Panic began to creep up his spine as his heart beat wildly. He turned towards the source of the noise; eyes wide with terror.

 His eyes stared into two twin pools of skyline. Relief washed over him like a waterfall.

“Steve…?” Bucky asked; voice raspy from sleep.

 Steve gently cupped the brunette’s face and nodded.

 “Ya, Buck, it’s me.”

  Bucky leaned into Steve’s hand and reveled in the heat radiating from the blonde’s hand. Ever since Steve rescued him from Hydra, rescued him from the grip of winter, Bucky can’t stand to be cold. It brings back horrible memories; brings him to the verge of panic attacks if he doesn’t find warmth quickly.

  _My name is Bucky Barnes. It’s August 22, 2017. I currently live on the 30 th floor of the Avenger’s Tower with my boyfriend, Steve Rogers. My name is James Buchanan Barnes. I am safe. I am safe._

Bucky repeated this mantra over and over in his head. He does it every time he wakes up. It keeps him grounded. Keeps him from forgetting. He doesn’t want to forget again. Terrified to forget. Can’t, won’t forget again.

 Steve didn’t say a word. Just gently ran his right hand through Bucky’s soft, silky hair, gently massaging his scalp only to then move back to caressing his cheek then back to his hair, again and again and again until he felt Bucky relax into his touch.

 They stayed like this for a while until Bucky slowly opened his eyes and that signature shit eating grin appeared on his face. For the longest time Steve thought he’d never see Bucky smile again let alone see his signature grin grace his face.

 “You used to be smaller…,” Bucky whispered as he nudged himself closer to Steve.

 “Ya, Buck, I used to be,” Steve parroted. It made him happy when Bucky would recall small, insignificant to some people, details about their lives before the war. Before he became Captain America. Before the fall. Before they were torn from each other for seventy years.

 Bucky nuzzled his face into the crook of Steve’s neck, breathing in his scent. Fresh soap and clean linens. Steve always smelled clean even when he was small and sick. Bucky could _never_ recall a time when Steve smelled like he was sick or just half a step from Death’s door. He always smelled like…life…Always smelled like sunshine, if that is even possible, and fresh rain.

 It was intoxicating, addicting. He could never get enough of it.

 Steve pulled Bucky closer to him, humming as he rubbed the side of his face against Bucky’s head.

 “We have to get up, Bucky. You remember what we have to do today?” Steve asked softly.

 Bucky groaned and shook his head.

“I don’t want to go to on a mission. I want to stay in bed with you all day. Call Natasha and tell her we’ve come down with the flu.”

 “You know we can’t get sick sweetheart,” Steve laughed. “Everyone on the team knows that.”

 “Doesn’t mean we can’t try,” Bucky grumbled.

 “Come on sleepyhead.” Steve lightly tapped Bucky’s covered leg. “Time to get up. Don’t wanna keep the team waiting.”

 Bucky whined in protest as his lover moved away from him to get out of bed. He turned his face into the spot Steve used to be and breathed in the scent that was so uniquely Steve. Reluctantly the brunette opened his eyes and watched as Steve moved about their bedroom gathering the last minute things he couldn’t pack until this morning. It was nice watching Steve mumbling to himself as he mentally checked things off his list. It was nice watching Steve just _be_. Didn’t necessarily have to be doing anything significant. Just him being _Steve Rogers_ and not _Captain America_ was worth its weight in gold to Bucky.

 Eventually Steve had to drag Bucky out of the bed and into the shower so they could finish getting ready before the entire team had to come bust down the door and get them…again.

 Half an hour later the two super soldiers were sitting next to each other on the quin jet listening to Natasha go over the mission. The entire team, aside from Bucky, were still trying to get used to Natasha debriefing them instead of Fury who last they heard was having a wonderful time in the Irish countryside “wishing they were here” according to the postcard.

 Even though it had been three years since Hydra “fell,” a few of their bases survived the initial sweep the Avengers had conducted. Natasha, while creating new identities and connections, caught wind of a Hydra base in the mountain regions of Austria.

 Just hearing that name brought back horrible memories for both Steve and Bucky. Austria, where Bucky was tortured. Austria, where Bucky fell. Austria, where _everything_ changed.

 Bucky squeezed Steve’s hand so tightly he swore he heard his knuckles pop. Bucky couldn’t breathe. He could feel his anxiety increasing, threating to overflow and cause him to have a panic attack.

 “Steve,” Bucky whispered urgently. “I don’t know if I can-“

 “Shh, it’s all right, baby,” Steve said gently. “I will _never_ let them take you back. They will _never_ rip you away from me again.”

 Bucky buried his face in Steve’s neck and took a deep breath, inhaling Steve’s scent. He felt memories swirling, coming to the surface.

 Everything is murky, cloudy, static.

  _A circle, close friends, more like family, envelope them._

_It’s quiet, isolated, cold, but inside the circle there’s nothing but warmth. Nothing but love._

_An exchange of eternity. An exchange of vows. Something, cold, metal, slid onto his finger._

_Everything is murky, cloudy, static. Everything is starting to distort, fade._

_Suddenly he’s falling. It’s gone…it’s not there anymore. It’s gone. It’s gone._

“It’s gone,” Bucky cried into Steve’s neck.

“What’s gone, Bucky?” Steve asked, voice laced with worry.

 “I can’t remember…I can’t _remember_ ,” Bucky replied, frustrated. 

Bucky could _feel_ something around one of his metal fingers. Something that should be there, but isn’t any longer, it’s like a phantom limb.

 Neither Natasha nor the rest of the team comment on the exchange between Steve and Bucky. Natasha finishes debriefing, tells Steve in private that neither he nor Bucky have to participate in the mission given the circumstances. Steve thanks her, but knows full well that Bucky would protest saying that destroying any remanence of Hydra was more important than his fears. To which Steve protests only to have the brunette silence him with a searing kiss that leaves him breathless and unable to form a coherent counter argument.

 The entire rest of the ride to Austria Bucky sat running his flesh hand over his metal one, encircling his ring finger, absentmindedly tracing it. Something used to be there. Something important. He just _can’t remember._

 Steve stopped his conversation with Tony for a brief moment to look over at Bucky. He frowned. He hated seeing Bucky like this. He never should have agreed to this mission. He had a bad feeling about it from the very beginning.

 “Thinking about Bionicle?” Tony asked, ripping Steve out of his thoughts.

 “You know he hates it when you call him that,” Steve replied not tearing his eyes away from Bucky.

 “And yet I still do.” Tony smiled his signature grin, but when he got no response from Steve he turned to look at Bucky in hopes of seeing what was so “intriguing.”

 Bucky never once looked up, too caught up in his thoughts, too distracted to notice the twin pairs of eyes on him.

 “Do you know why this mission is going to be difficult for him, for us?” Steve asked.

 “Austria is where he and his company, the 107th, were captured by Hydra. Dad told me the story about a million times. He never shut the hell up about how he and Aunt Peggy flew you into enemy lines to go rescue Bionicle-” Steve quickly turned to Tony and glared. “Sorry, to go rescue _Bucky_ and the rest of the company.”

 “Did he also tell you that Bucky was tortured and experimented on by Hydra scientists? That he was pumped full of a knock off version of the super serum I was given? When I found him he was mumbling his full name, military number and barely coherent. Did he also tell you that Austria is also where he fell from the train and was captured once again by Hydra and turned into the Winter Soldier? Austria was where I lost him. Austria is where we lost _each other_.”

 “No, Dad must have left out that part. Wouldn’t be the first time,” Tony said bitterly.

 Steve sighed and tore his eyes away from Bucky back to Tony.

 “Your father was a good man. Or at least the version of Howard _I_ knew was a good man. He and Peggy were the _only_ ones who kept looking for me after I went into the ice.” Steve shook his head, eyes filled with sadness. “I wish you could have met that version of Howard, Tony. He was ambitious, charming, a smart ass just like you and smart, so damn smart.”

 Tony didn’t say a word. Just listened to Steve talk about a man he’d never met before, but wished so desperately he could have.

 “I’m so sorry you never got to meet him. The man he died, the man _you_ knew, was _not_ the man I knew. And I’m so sorry you inherited his vices. Maybe things would have been different had I not gone into the ice. Maybe I could have prevented him from becoming the bitter, alcoholic old man who neglected you, who made you feel like you were never good enough. Maybe-“

 “Stop,” Tony said sternly, fists clenched. “Nothing you could have said or done would have changed anything. Aunt Peggy tried to do what you wish you could have, but to no avail. He let his guilt over not being able to find you consume him and buried himself in his work and married the bottle. It was gonna happen no matter what anyone said or did. But if you hadn’t gone under you…” Tony paused, looked away from Steve for a moment. “You wouldn’t be here right now. You would never have become my friend, even though you piss me off sometimes,” Both Steve and Tony laughed. “I cherish you as a friend, as a comrade and I wouldn’t trade what we’ve been through since you thawed out for anything in the world.”

 Steve gently tenderly and squeezed Tony’s shoulder. In most ways they were polar opposites, but they were the same where it counted.

 “Shit Capscicle, getting me all emotional. I have a reputation to uphold you know,” Tony said jokingly.

 “Reputations are overrated.”

 “Heh, that’s funny coming from ‘a symbol to the nation, a hero to the world’,” Tony said in General Phillips’ voice from the Smithsonian exhibit. Steve couldn’t help but laugh at the almost spot on impression.

 And all the while, Bucky never once looked up.

  _Bucky never once looked up._

_Ten hours later…_

Bucky was torn from his trance, torn from his thoughts when Steve gently nudged him telling him they were in Austria. Steadying his breathing the soldier rose up from his seat and grimaced when he realized his butt was completely numb. Suppose sitting on it for ten straight hours didn’t help with blood flow or circulation.

 The team had landed high up in the Austrian mountainside where, no matter the season, snow blanketed every available slice of earth. It was freezing. Even under his thick, black parka and leather armor Bucky felt like he was frozen solid. He felt his breathing speed up as memories of cryo started surfacing.

  _Mission accomplished. Now put him back in._

 _No, I don’t wanna forget. Please don’t take them away from me again. I don’t wanna forget. I don’t wanna forget_ him _. It’s cold. So cold. Please, please, please, please._

“I don’t wanna forget! Don’t put me back in!” Bucky hadn’t realized he was crying, shouting this over and over until he felt Steve’s strong arms envelope him and suddenly everything… stopped.

 “I’m sorry, baby. I’m so sorry,” Steve cried as he gripped Bucky even tighter. “I should have just listened to you and skip this mission. The team is more than capable of handling this. Jesus, Buck, I should have listened!”

 Bucky wrapped his arms around Steve’s torso and held on for dear life.

_My name is Bucky Barnes. It’s August 22, 2017. I currently live on the 30th floor of the Avenger’s Tower with my boyfriend, Steve Rogers. My name is James Buchanan Barnes. I am safe. I am safe._

“They will _never_ take me from you ever again,” Bucky said in a hushed whisper.

“I will _never_ let them take me again,” Bucky said louder.

 “They will _never_ take you from me again,” Bucky yelled, words laced with venom.

Steve merely agreed, “Never again, Bucky” and placed a hard kiss to his temple.  

 Bucky felt a bolt of anger surge through him when he realized just how badly Hydra had scarred him. Just how badly they fucked up his mind. Just how easily they damaged him to point of every little thing causing a flashback and sending him into an episode. This Hydra base was his one chance to symbolically take back _everything_ they stole from him. Here, in Austria, where it all started seventy five years ago, is where it’s going to end.

 “Help me finish this, Stevie,” Bucky said as he pulled back from his lover’s embrace. “Help me take back what they stole from us.”

 “Of course, Buck. They took so much from us. It’s high time we take it back.”

 Bucky smirked and pulled Steve into a brutal kiss. Hands snaking into short, golden locks, yanking so roughly it tore a moan from the man. Suddenly neither men felt the bitter cold of the Austrian mountains.

 Just as soon as it began, it ended. Someone cleared their throat and Bucky reluctantly broke the kiss, turning his head to glare at the person who dare disturb them.

 “If you old men are done sucking each other’s faces off; we have a Hydra base to destroy. Gotta get you two back before they stop serving pudding at the old folk’s home.”

 Of course it had to be Tony…

 Both men growled at the man and rejoined the rest of the Avengers.

~: :~

The Avengers found the Hydra base with relative ease. Natasha’s information was spot on as usual. It had clearly been abandoned for quite some time, probably not been used since the Red Skull was defeated. Compared to the bases Steve, Bucky and the Howling Commandos took down back during the war, it was rather small. Meaning there wouldn’t be too many places Hydra agents could hide. Not only that, but it wouldn’t take the Avengers very long to get the job done.

 Natasha noticed there were only two Hydra agents stationed outside the entrance. Whatever Hydra agents that remained in Austria and the surrounding countries would no doubt have congregated inside the decaying corpse to try and escape the fallout. It didn’t matter how many there were. Bucky was going to kill each and every one of them and then he was going to burn this place to the ground. There would be nothing but smoldering ashes by the time he was done.

 “Sam, think you can take them out?” Natasha asked as she lowered her binoculars.

 “Hell I was expecting more,” Sam chuckled. “This won’t even count as my daily work out.”

 “Go get ‘em, Bird Man,” Bucky said, a smirk plastered on his face.

 “Ya, ya, just don’t go breaking your hip when you stand up,” Sam countered.

 Sam extended his wings and flew into the air. The almost permanent snowy skyline shrouded him in a blanket of grey. Silent like a stealth bomber Sam landed behind two of the guards. Before they knew what was happening Falcon slammed their heads together effectively incapacitating them. 

 “Coast is clear,” Sam reported into his earpiece. The rest of the Avengers quickly made their way to the front entrance of the base and silently entered.

~: :~

 The hour it took to take down the base was all a blur to Bucky. He saw nothing, but red. Felt nothing, but pure, unfiltered, animalistic rage. He heard nothing, but his rifle firing shot after shot into every last Hydra agent that crossed his hair. When he ran out of bullets he used his fists.

 Feeling their bones crush under his palms. Hearing them scream as he nearly ripped off their limbs. He never felt so _alive_ as he watched the light drain from the Hydra agents eyes, fear permanently plastered on their faces. Bucky couldn’t hear himself yelling and laughing during his entire rampage. All he heard was the symphony of destruction and revenge being conducted by his own hands.

By the end of it all, Bucky was drenched from head to toe in blood. None of it was his own. His eyes were darting around looking for any survivors, pupils so constricted he appeared bug eyed. The soldier’s teeth were slightly bared, canines prominent as growls constantly poured from his lips. He was like a caged animal that had _finally_ be set free from its handlers. One could say he had gone feral. Like another chain had been broken and Bucky was once step closer to being rid of Hydra once and for all.

It didn’t take the rest of the team long to find Bucky surrounded by corpses circling around like a wild animal. None of them dare step any closer to the man in fear they’d set him off and this time there aren’t any Hydra agents for him to rip apart.

 “Bucky,” Natasha said hesitantly. “It’s over. You killed them all. You got ‘em.” Bucky merely growled in reply; never once stopping to look at her.

 “Steve, see if you can snap Bionicle out of this,” Tony said as he started pushing the older man to the front of the pack. When Steve reached the front he was taken aback when he laid eyes on Bucky. The last time he’d seen him like this was when they fought on the hellicarrier in D.C. A bolt of fear ran through him. Is Bucky under Hydra’s influence again? Had the Winter Soldier resurfaced? Steve cautiously took a step forward towards the soldier.

 “Bucky…?” Steve called gently so as not to spook him. Immediately Bucky stopped moving and jerked his head in Steve’s direction.

 “Baby doll,” Bucky said with relief as he turned his body to face him. “Look at what I did.” Bucky motioned to the circle of mutilated corpses that surrounded him. A wicked grin broke out on his face. It sent chills down Steve’s spine.

 “I killed them all,” Bucky laughed. “I took back my freedom, Steve! I took it back!” Bucky was ecstatic. He felt utterly weightless, almost euphoric and oh, so, arousing…

 Taking another step, Steve attempted to get closer. When Bucky made no move to stop him he took another and another until he was right next to Bucky. Bucky was unbelievably hard. The smell of blood, death and gun powder flooded his nostrils and before Steve could utter a single word Bucky grabbed Steve’s face and pulled him into a harsh kiss; all tongue and teeth, animalistic. The brunette threaded his bloody, gloved hands into the captain’s hair and pulled roughly; tearing a whimper from said captain.

 The only thought running through Bucky’s head was _claim, mark, conquer_. Hydra would _not_ take Steve from him again. Steve was _his_ and his alone and he was going to show the entire world in the only way he knew how.

Steve’s brain finally caught up, responding by wrapping his arms around his lover’s torso, pulling him tightly against him. Bucky growled as he broke the kiss only to bite down on Steve’s bottom lip, pulling back slightly. A shaky moan escaped Steve’s lips as he tried not to cry out, fingers digging into Bucky’s hips.

 Bucky grinned and chuckled darkly, dipping his head into the captain’s neck and latching onto his pulse point, nipping and sucking until a dark blue bruise began to form. In the back of his mind the soldier knew it would be gone in an hour or so, but for that moment Bucky’s claim on Steve could be seen by all.

 Steve let out a shaky breath.

 “Bu-Bucky,” Steve whimpered. “We-we’re not alone.”

 “I don’t care,” Bucky said lowly against the captain’s neck. “Let them watch.” Bucky’s head turned to stare at his team mates. They were all looking in different directions trying to appear like they weren’t just watching them attentively.

 “You can watch if you want,” Bucky said loud enough for everyone to hear. “I’m high on adrenaline and pure, animalistic rage. And Steve-“Bucky roughly pushed his leg in between Steve’s legs grinding it into his crotch, tearing a surprised moan from the man. “Is going to fuck me until I can’t remember where the hell I am. Either stay or get the fuck out. I don’t care which you choose.”

 Sam immediately was the first person to leave, mumbling under his breath that he didn’t need to see that since he hears it nearly every damn night. Natasha didn’t move a muscle, a sadistic grin prominent on her face. Clint just stood silently next to Natasha taking her hand into his. Tony decided to join Sam outside stating he’s already got enough footage of their sexscapades to last him a lifetime.

 “Good,” Bucky said satisfyingly. “Only you two decided to stay. Now where was I?” Bucky asked lowly as he returned his gaze to Steve whose eyes were half lidded and glazed over, lips parted slightly, small puffs of breath escaping.

 “Buck…please.” Bucky groaned as Steve’s breathless plea reached his ears. Another wave of arousal crashed over the soldier.

 “Get these fucking pants off me,” Bucky snarled. Without a moment’s hesitation Steve’s hands bolted for the brunette’s pants unbuckling his belt and yanking his zipper down with such force Bucky was pulled forward towards Steve.

 “Hey!” Bucky snapped, grabbing a chunk of Steve’s hair with his metal arm and yanking his head back causing the captain to whimper.

 “I only got one pair of these with me, punk. Don’t ruin ‘em.” The blonde apologized and tried to place a kiss of apology on the soldier’s lips but was instead firmly guided by the metal hand in his hair into the curve of Bucky’s neck. Immediately Steve began nipping, licking and kissing every inch of the soldier’s skin. Desperate to leave behind his own mark, his own claim, just as the soldier had done to him. A shiver run down Bucky’s spine as he tightened his grip on Steve’s hair.

“Fuck, Baby doll,” Bucky said breathlessly. “Mark me up. Claim me.”

 Loud, obscene noises filled the room as Steve continued his assault on Bucky’s neck. His hands finally managed to get Bucky’s pants pushed down a few inches. The sticky, drying blood that soaked the leather made it difficult for the captain to get the soldier’s pants down in his current position. It was a small miracle in itself that he’d gotten them down as far as he did.

 With his lover’s pants undone now Steve moved his left hand up the expansion of Bucky’s back. Intertwining his gloved hand in those blood covered locks, the blonde turned the soldier’s head to the side giving him even more flesh colored canvas for him to paint blue and purple. Bucky’s eyes were shut tight as he allowed the pain of Steve’s teeth sinking into his skin to meld with the pleasure radiating from his core; a slew of curses left his mouth. His free hand gripped Steve’s shoulder like his life depended on it.

 “Baby doll, touch me,” Bucky ordered and without missing a beat one of Steve’s right hand dove into Bucky’s now exposed underwear which, thankfully, was not soaked with blood and wrapped it around the middle of his cock. Bucky let out a guttural groan.

 “Fuck, Steve. Ugh, fuck!” The soldier cried out as the captain jerked him off as quickly as his hand could possibly move within the confines of his underwear. Steve’s grip was tight and so damn hot it made Bucky let out a high pitched whine. Everything was so damn warm.  Steve’s warm puffs of breath on his neck. Steve’s warm tongue circling around every new love bite he placed down. Steve’s body radiating heat like a fucking oven.

 Bucky could feel the pleasure building quickly at the base of his spine, felt it begin to branch out. He wouldn’t last long at this rate and he didn’t want to come until Steve was buried deep inside him.

 “St-stop, Baby doll, stop.” Bucky moaned as he pulled on Steve’s hair and used his grip on his shoulder to pull him away.

 “Wh-why’d you stop…?” Steve asked, his words slightly slurred.

 “Don’t wanna come unless you’re inside me. Help me get these pants the rest of the way down.”

 Steve nodded and gently dropped to his knees. He starred up at Bucky, his thick eyelashes fluttering. Jesus Christ God in Heaven, Steve was absolutely gorgeous like this. Like a damn angel hand-picked from the clouds of Heaven itself.

 Bucky could feel his knees begin to shake and his heart beat speed up.

 Steve’s hands latched onto Bucky’s hips and pulled his pants the rest of the way down, occasionally having to yank them due to the blood soaking through the material and drying. Making quick work of his combat boots, Steve made his way back up Bucky’s legs, leaving a trail of kisses and love bites behind, Steve’s fingers curl into the waist band of Bucky’s underwear. Going at a snail’s pace, the blonde peeled his lover’s underwear down over his hips as he bit and sucked on the newly exposed skin, but purposely avoided his cock which only caused the soldier to groan in frustration. He knew Steve was only following Bucky’s request of not coming until he was inside of him, but that didn’t mean the brunette liked it.

 After what seemed like an eternity, Steve finally pulled Bucky’s underwear all the way down his legs where it pooled with his pants. Bucky quickly stepped out of his boots, pants and underwear, leaving only his upper armor on.

 “Get on your back,” Bucky ordered. Steve nodded and carefully positioned himself on the cold concrete floor so as not to land on one of the Hydra agents’ corpses. It never crossed his mind as he laid on the hard concrete that a) he was surrounded by blood and mutilated corpses and b) Natasha and Clint were still here watching them. Maybe he just didn’t give a damn anymore. Maybe all he wanted was for Bucky to rip his pants off too, climb onto his dick and fuck himself on it like a fucking wild animal. No, no the only thing he could do was just stare and admire the impeccable physic of his lover and couldn’t help but let out a whorish moan as he laid eyes on Bucky’s cock. It was curved slightly inward against his stomach, the tip an angry red with precome steadily flowing, smearing against the leather every time Bucky made even the slightest of movements.

 Jesus Christ he was so hard it hurt. He could feel his erection pushing painfully against the confines of his suit. He _needed_ someone to release the pressure. He _needed_ Bucky to have mercy on him and take his cock out. Steve didn’t dare try to do it himself. Last time he tried touching himself without Bucky’s permission he was forced to wear a cock ring all damn day. Sitting through meeting after meeting with Tony and government officials renegotiating the conditions of the Super Hero Registration Act. The entire time he was so painfully hard he was constantly fidgeting in his seat trying to take pressure off his aching cock, even going as far as trying to imagine the old nuns, who used to scold him and Bucky when they were caught swearing, in lingerie just to take some of the pressure off. It worked just long enough for him to get through the meetings, which were shockingly productive, and bolted back to his and Bucky’s shared room.

 He was then forced to compose a lengthy apology and explain why he was being punished all while Bucky had three of his metal fingers deep in Steve’s ass, constantly curling and messaging that little bundle of nerves that caused fireworks to go off behind Steve’s eyelids. It was absolute torture and just when he thought things couldn’t get any worse Bucky switched from fingering him to fingering him _while_ eating him out. This caused the poor captain to lose all capability of forming his apology and reduced him to a moaning, whimpering mess, but being the sadistic bastard he was, Bucky wouldn’t let Steve come until he had finished his apology… _an hour later_.

“Oh, Baby doll,” Bucky cooed, pulling Steve out of his thoughts. “Look at you. Like a damn bitch in heat.”

 All Steve could do was whimper, face flushed red with arousal and embarrassment, as he spread his legs wide enough for Bucky to stand in between them. Bucky felt a surge of pride at seeing his baby doll so worked up; all hot and bothered because of him. No one else could ever make his baby feel this good. No one. And if there was he’d make sure they were never heard from again. No one was going to take Steve from him again. Bucky didn’t care who it was. Steve was _his_.

 Bucky licked his lips and with the sole of his right bare foot he pressed down and massaged the outline of Steve’s erection, which caused a shaky groan to erupt from the blonde’s throat. This went on for a minute or two until Bucky applied even more pressure to Steve’s erection and began rubbing even harder, faster, firmer. Steve felt himself being swept up in the waves of pleasure and instinctively rolled his hips so Bucky’s sole dug deeper into his clothed erection.

 “Fuck, you’re so damn desperate aren’t you?” Bucky spat. “My baby doll is such a greedy little slut.” The last three words were accented by Bucky’s foot pushing down, if it were even possible, harder onto Steve’s crotch.

 “St-stop, Bu-cky! I can’t-“Steve cried out. “Darlin’, please…”

 Bucky hummed. “How can I resist such a sweet thing like you?”

 Bucky immediately removed his foot from Steve’s crotch, much to the blonde’s relief, and placed one leg on each side of his thighs. Bending down to rest his weight on his knees, Bucky undid the pants of Steve’s stealth suit. Said suit had quickly become Bucky’s favorite because it accented every single muscle on Steve’s body, especially his torso. The first time Bucky saw him wear it he grabbed Steve, who had just come out of a meeting, pulled him against his chest and ordered the captain to fuck him against the wall. There is now an oddly shaped indention in the wall on the 15th floor.

 As soon as Bucky pulled down Steve’s fly his cock jutted out and Steve let out a deep groan of relief. _Thank you sweet, merciful God above._ As expected, Steve’s cock was a deep shade of red. The tip was beginning to turn purple due to lack of release and precome was flowing freely.

 “My poor baby,” Bucky cooed. “Don’t worry, I’ll make this _big_ ,” Stroke. A whimper. “ _Thick_.” Stroke. A moan. _“Gargantuan_.” Stoke. A shout. “Problem go away.”

 “Bucky,” Steve huffed. “So help me God if you don’t fuck yourself on my dick I swear to- Gah!” Steve was cut off when Bucky forcefully took hold of Steve’s chin with his metal hand firmly squeezed the base of Steve’s dick with his flesh hand.

 “Talk to me like that again,” Bucky hissed, eyes burning. “And I swear on your mother’s grave I _will_ lay you out on that meeting table you and Tony use to talk to those fuckwad government officials and I _will_ tear you apart piece by piece as they watch.” Bucky increased the pressure on Steve’s jaw until he felt a cry bubbling deep within his throat.

 “Apologize,” Bucky ordered lowly. “Now.”

 “I’m sorry, sir,” Steve whispered. “Please, fuck me, sir. Please.”

“You always beg so sweetly,” Bucky murmured. 

 The soldier released his lover’s chin and used his now free hand to find purchase on the captain’s chest.

 “You’ve got the best pair of tits I’ve ever seen on anyone, baby doll,” Bucky groaned as he positioned Steve’s cock at his entrance. There was no preparation, but Bucky didn’t care. His body was still pumped full of adrenaline and rage; a little pain wasn’t going to affect him nor detour him from skewing himself on his lover’s cock.

 “Ready?” Bucky asked breathlessly. Steve merely nodded. Sucking in a deep breath, Bucky lowered himself inch by inch onto Steve’s member until he felt it bottom out. He whipped his head back and let out a shaky sigh, a shiver bolting through him. The former assassin felt so full, so complete. He clenched around Steve causing him to grunt and his hands to find purchase on Bucky’s thighs, gloved fingers digging into his skin with such force that bruises were sure to form. The assassin rocked back and forth, slowly, swiveling his hips in a circular motion as he periodically clenched and unclenched around Steve’s dick.

 Not wasting a moment the soldier began quickly bouncing up and down; a steady flow of curses, grunts and sobs pouring from both their mouths. Steve started meeting Bucky’s thrusts with his hips so as Bucky came back down Steve was pushing up.

 The two men built up a rhythm and soon Steve was hitting Bucky’s prostate dead on every single thrust. Bucky was crying and cursing so loudly he could hear it bouncing off the walls of the hydra base but couldn’t bring himself to give a damn. He was praying Sam and Tony could hear it all the way outside. He wanted the whole damn world, especially the smoldering ashes of Hydra, to hear how his Stevie made him scream, made him come so damn hard he blacks out, made he feel so loved his heart ached.

 “Bucky,” Steve grunted. “Oh fuck. I’m not-“

 “I kn-know,” Bucky interrupted. “I’m not gonna…last much longer either.”

 Steve gripped Bucky’s thighs even tighter and yanked him down as hard and as fast as he possibly could. Bucky let out a blood curdling scream as Steve’s cock rammed into his prostate harder and harder, over and over again. His head flew back so hard he heard a pop.

 “Steve! Fuck! Fuck! Fu-fuck!” He could hardly catch his breath, could hardly form coherent sentences.

 Suddenly he felt his left arm being pulled and placed on something. Looking down Bucky saw that Steve had placed it on his throat.

  _You sure?_

_Yes. I trust you._

The two men never said a word. They didn’t have to.

 Bucky placed his thumb over the curve of Steve’s Adam’s apple and applied enough pressure to make breathing still possible, but constricted. His other fingers curled around the expansion of Steve’s throat and the blonde felt his eyes roll upward. A small ring of black began forming in his field of vision, pleasure building at an alarming rate. The captain felt a blissful grin appear on his face as he felt Bucky tighten his grip around his throat.

 A minute later he came with a silent moan, mouth wide open, eyes screwed shut. Bucky came, untouched, not seconds later when he felt Steve’s cum flood his channel, painting it white. He groaned louder and louder until it evolved into what sounded like a wolf growling deep within its throat. Bucky fell forward and hid his face into the curve of Steve’s neck. Relief showered over him as he felt the adrenaline, the rage and the anger leave his body only to be replaced by happiness, joy and for the first time in over 75 years… _hope_.

 How long they stayed there, neither man knew. But when Steve turned his head to his left Natasha and Clint were gone.

~: :~

 “Jesus, how long does it take for two people to screw each other’s brains out?” A very annoyed, hungry and tired Sam Wilson asked. He and Tony had been standing out in the cold for thirty minutes before he heard Natasha and Clint open the door to join them outside.

 “Bionicle and Capsicle done makin’ whoopy?” Tony jokingly asked. “Pretty sure it took them at least twenty minutes to get it up. Being almost a century takes it tole on one’s boner capabilities.”

 Natasha merely smirked and explained to both Sam and Tony that Steve had no problem maintaining an erection as Bucky impaled himself on it over and over again until he screamed bloody murder.

 “I swear to God. Why the hell do I hang out with you guys again?” Sam sighed as he rubbed his temples. “I demand compensation for the amount of bullshit I have to put up with from y’all.”

 The whole team laughed and Natasha rubbed Sam’s back telling him he can always go back to his day job at the VA. Sam half-jokingly and half seriously said to not tempt him. A moment later the team heard the familiar screech of the base metal door opening and shutting. _Thank God._  The team could see Steve and Bucky walking towards them. Steve had his arm around Bucky’s waist and Bucky had his around Steve’s, smiles plastered on their faces.

 “Well, well, well,” Tony drawled. “Look who decided to join us. You guys have fun?”

 “Very much so,” Steve replied as he pulled Bucky tighter against him. “You missed out.”

 “Oh I doubt that,” Tony scoffed.

 “I agree with, Tony, for once,” Sam said.

 “We didn’t,” Natasha added with a smirk. “It was very…interesting. Wasn’t it, Clint?” The archer merely nodded, refusing to make eye contact with the super soldiers.

 “Well, boys, looks like we’re all done here,” Natasha said as she started walking back to the quinjet. “Time to go into town. I have a few errands to run.” The rest of the team quickly followed and loaded onto the jet.

 “Oh, before I forget,” Natasha said as she fished out a small black box and handed it to Bucky. “Here.”

 “Oh, Natasha,” Bucky gasped as he took the box. “This is all so sudden. I-I don’t know if I can marry such a wild card like yourself.” Natasha rolled her eyes and punched the man in the shoulder.

 “Open it you ass.” Bucky laughed, but stopped when he saw what was in the box; a detonator. Bucky jerked his head immediately up to look at Natasha for an explanation.

 “You said you wanted to take back what Hydra stole from you right? Destroying this base, here in Austria, where it all began, sure seems like a fitting end to me.”

 Bucky turned to Steve who only nodded and placed his hand over Bucky’s. Bucky held in his hand, both a physical and metaphorical end to the nightmare Hydra had created. He had the power to end it. For good this time.

 Using his left arm, his metal arm, the arm _Hydra_ gave him, he pushed the button and felt the mini shockwave crash against the quinjet as the bomb exploded. Fire began to burst from shattered windows and slowly engulf the base.

 Bucky felt himself become so overwhelmed with emotion he was shaking. It was over. It was really over. Hydra was gone. He took back _everything_ they stole from him 75 years ago. He was finally…free. His eyes closed, a breath he didn’t know he was holding escaped, darkness and an overwhelming sense of peace washed over him.

 

 

 


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's finally done! I'm so sorry it took me over a month to finish this! I lost motivation for a bit and was hit with a huge bout of self doubt over this story. But you all can thank a reader who goes by the name of Doodles for this final part getting done. Their two comments gave me so much motivation and helped me get over this funk so I dedicate this final chapter to you Doodles! You're such a doll! I hope you and everyone who's been waiting enjoy it! Also I highly recommend listening to Claire De Lune where it is mentioned, because that song as well as A Thousand Years by Christina Perri were a huge influence on the style of the chapter

  _Now, with your hands in mine, I free you from winter’s grasp. Embrace my love for it shall warm you the rest of your days. Accept the gift of life that resides in each of my breaths for any one could be my last. Take communion every time our mouths meld and our bodies become one. Your pain is my pain. Your worries are my worries. Your fears are my fears. We are one soul inhabiting two bodies and neither time nor death can tear us apart. ‘Cause I’m with you ‘till the end of the line._

  _It’s cold, but within the ring it’s warm. The war rages on outside, but within these crumbling walls all is quiet. The wind is howling, but to him he hears the sweet, melodic cords of Clair De Lune; their first dance. Any day could be their last and neither wanted to depart without having had done this. It’s only temporary he tells him. Someday in the distant future, they’ll be able to tell the world about what they share, about what they did here, but for now only eight people know and maybe that’s all that’s needed._

~: :~

How much time had passed, he did not know.

Who or what was lightly shaking shoulder, he did not know either.

Bucky slowly began to open his eyes only to quickly shut them and grimace as fluorescent lighting flooded into his pupils. Blinking a couple times, Bucky’s eyesight came into focus and he was able to find out who or what had been shaking him.

It was an angel, adorned with hair as golden as the streets of Heaven. Eyes like twin pools of pure, pristine skyline. Lips like Cupid’s bow. A face that had been carved by God himself.

“Bucky…?” The angel asked, voice seeming very distant. Even that sounded like a heavenly choir.

“Bucky…?” The angel asked again. The assassin could feel a warm smile spread across his face.

_Say my name again. Please, say it again._

“Bucky…” Such a sweet, sweet melody…

 A hand caressed his face. It radiated heat, radiated safety. He encompassed it with his flesh hand.

_Embrace my love for it shall warm you the rest of your days._

“Mmmm…Steve…,” sighed the assassin, smile still prominent. That name dripped from his tongue like the purest honey one could ever hope to taste.

 Steve let out a sigh of relief as Bucky started coming back around. He’d been asleep for over an hour and Steve was beginning to wonder if he’d end up sleeping through the entire ride home.

“We’re here, Buck,” Steve said as he took his hand away from Bucky’s face.

“Home?” Bucky asked slightly dazed. 

“No, darlin’, not yet. Natasha has to run into town remember?”

Bucky nodded and looked around the quin jet. The rest of the team was changing out of their combat gear and into civilian clothes. It was strange to watch, even now; like seeing a leopard change its spots, becoming something new.  Each of these people were capable of incredible feats, capable of murder, and yet in their civilian clothes, look no more threatening than the average person. Bucky couldn’t think of a word to describe it. It was just fascinating for lack of a better word.

Bucky felt Steve squeeze his shoulder as he passed him telling him it was time for them to get changed. He hadn’t even noticed Steve stand up.

About twenty minutes later the entire team filed off the jet and made their way into town. Natasha led the pack and stopped just outside the town.

“Alright boys I have to meet up with someone in town. Shouldn’t be more than an forty-five minutes. We’ll all meet back up on the jet in an hour and head out once I’m done. Go have a little fun you all earned it.” Natasha dismissed the team and disappeared into a crowd of people.

“Alright guys,” Tony said as he turned to face them. “Let’s so get a drink! Sam’s treat!”

“The hell do I look like, huh?” Sam replied. “You’re the millionaire here not me. If anyone should be buying drinks it’s your ass.”

“I agree,” Clint pipped in. “Tony owes us all a stiff drink especially after the whole civil war thing.”

“And for letting your little cat king try to kill me,” Bucky added. “Still a bit sore over that.”

“Also you’re the one who created an AI that went rogue and tried to murder all of us,” Steve jumped in, throwing his two cents in.

“Wow fellas I’m hurt,” Tony said with a sniffle and a fake cry. “Everyone take shots at the handsome, amazing, Tony Stark. I can take it.”

“You can,” Sam said smugly, “but your wallet sure as shit can’t” The entire team, including Tony, laughed.

After a minute or two the team unanimously decided in a 4 to 1 vote that Tony would be the one buying everyone drinks and began making their way into town searching for the local bar.

The town was bustling. Hordes of towns people were crossing busy streets or leaving various shops and buildings. Cars lined the roadways both on the main road and sidewalks. The entire town was alive and bursting with life. Not even the bitter snow and chilly winds could detour these people from getting through their day. It was amazing. But it wasn’t always like this…was it?

Bucky felt a wave of familiarity wash over him. He’s been here before…He and _Steve_ have been here before. _It used to be smaller…darker…colder. It’s changed...everything has changed…_

_The snow blanketed the entire town. It was cold, freezing, a damn tundra, but so long as he was around the cold could never over take him. They walked hand in hand. It was dangerous. They could be court marshaled. Stripped of their rank. Dishonorably discharged. Even killed. But there was a war raging on and they were constantly a step from Death’s door of every second of every minute of every day that madman remained alive. Jesus Christ, God in Heaven he needed a drink…_

 “Buck? You alright?” Steve asked when Bucky stopped dead in his tracks, eyebrows furrowed and eyes narrowed slightly.

“I’ve been here before, Steve,” Bucky said quietly, almost hesitantly, unsure if the vague sense of familiarity he felt was real or just something his brain conjured up.

 “ _We’ve_ been here before…It’s different, bigger, more alive…”

“This town is called Elastisch,” Steve said as his eyes swept around the town.

“Resilient,” Bucky mumbled under his breath. Steve nodded his head in agreement.

“It wasn’t always called that. After the Nazi rolled in they nearly torched this place to the ground,” Steve said with a grimace. “The town’s people, by any logical stand point, should have just packed up and left. Nearly every building was engulfed in flames and what was left standing had been ransacked, stripped bare of any valuables. But they stayed. They were determined to save their town. They were determined to take back what the Nazis took from them. They were resilient and renamed their town as such.”

 “ _Sweet Mary and Joseph, Sarge. What’s a man gotta do to get a drink around here?”_

“ _Ah quit your complainin’ Dum Dum. Cap should have left your sorry ass back at that Hydra base”_

“ _Piss off you sodding bastard.”_

“ _Hey, Sarge what’s the name of this town called anyways?”_

“I could give a rat’s ass, “Bucky said, lost in sudden remembrance. “Could be called snow town and I wouldn’t care. Besides, you guys owe Cap a round for saving all our sorry asses. We should be ashamed.”

 Steve jerked his head to look at Bucky, eyes wide in shock, mouth slightly ajar.

“Wh-What did you say?”

Bucky let out a cry of pain, his head was throbbing. He could feel memories begin to surface, break through the surface of the water. It hurt, it hurt so damn badly. His brain felt like it was going to explode. He was afraid, terrified, just wanted it all to stop.

 He felt like he was right back in that chair watching the machine encompass his head and wipe his memories. He could hear the buzz of the electricity than ran through the circuitry. He could feel the bite plate in between his teeth. He couldn’t catch his breath, rapidly drawing in air but it never being enough. He didn’t want to lose his memories again. Didn’t want the only picture he has of his golden angel to be taken from him again. The picture distorts and fades a little more each and every time he’s wiped.

 The memories are bashing his skull, demanding to be let in. He didn’t know which was worse. The pain of losing his memories or the pain of regaining a large chunk all at once. He was so scared. He just wanted it all to stop. He just wanted it all to stop.

It started out in brief flashes.

“ _Let’s do it. Right here. Right now.”_

“ _Don’t joke around, Punk.”_

“ _Who says I’m joking? I’m as serious as a heart attack, Jerk.”_

_He took his hands into his._

“ _I don’t want to die knowing we didn’t do this. I wanna go to meet my maker knowing I did so as your-“_

“Bucky,” A voice whispered softly into his ear. Strong, warm, loving arms held him tightly. It felt like…home. He wrapped his arms around the person holding him tightly, burying his face into their neck, breathing in their scent. Soap and fresh linens.

“You’re alright, Bucky…You’re safe,” the voice whispered. Bucky hummed, agreeing with the soft voice. He so desperately wanted to believe it.

 “Steve…Steve…,”Bucky sighed. He knew that voice from anywhere.

 “Ya, Buck, it’s me.” Steve ran his fingers gently through the brunette’s soft hair. Lightly massaging his scalp exactly how he likes it. Bucky felt relief surge through him, could feel the smile appear on his face.

 Steve was here. He was here. They were together again. Now and forever. Always together. Never apart.

They stood there for what felt like a small eternity wrapped in each other arms, basking in each other’s warmth, until the rest of the Avengers finally realized the two super soldiers had fallen behind and went to go check up on them. Sam, Tony and Clint kept asking if Bucky was okay and that he hadn’t “fallen off the wagon” as Tony put it. Steve glared at the man for his poor choice of words. Fall, falling, fallen and any variation of the word still brings up bad memories for both of the super soldiers. Bucky told Steve it was fine and that he knew Tony didn’t mean anything by it. The man never could think before he spoke.

 Bucky kept insisting he was fine despite the numerous objections from Steve and demanded they head to the bar so he could get a drink. All he needed was a stiff drink to warm his belly and he’d be fine. Few shots of bourbon, a little rum and coca cola and Bucky’ll be right as rain. If they could just _get to the damn bar_.

~: :~

 It didn’t take the group of men ten minutes to find the local bar and with a sigh of relief all headed inside.

 “Steve,” Bucky said shakily. He could feel the memories flooding back. It hadn’t changed…not one bit. Everything was exactly the same. Modern times had completely skipped over the bar. The wooden stained bar stools, the long polished bar counter, the jukebox near the front entrance, the worn tables and chairs. It was all the same. Nothing had changed.

“It’s the same,” Steve said, completely awestruck. “How is it possible?”

Bucky and Steve looked all around them, completely taken aback. Steve couldn’t believe what he was seeing. The last time he was here this bar was nothing but blackened skeleton. The last time he was here he had just witnessed Bucky fall from the train. The last time he was here he had a glass of scotch in his hand trying to drink away his sorrow knowing full well that the serum prevented him from getting drunk, but it didn’t prevent him from trying.

 “It’s been seventy five years…,” Steve heard Bucky whisper. “Jesus Christ, Stevie. They’re all gone aren’t they?”

The blonde turned to look at the man and couldn’t help but remember what took place here and felt a swill of emotions begin to surface. He and Bucky were all that remained of their time. Peggy, the Howling Commandos, Colonel Philips, Howard, are all gone. Only he and Bucky are still alive. He didn’t know how he was supposed to feel.

 “We’re all that’s left, Bucky,” Steve lamented, lacing Bucky’s fingers in his. “You and me.”

 “That’s how it’s always been hasn’t it?” Bucky asked, his hand tightening around Steve’s, eyes filled with sadness. “When we were kids it was us against the world. When we went to war it was us against the world. Even now, after all this time, it’s _still_ us against the world.”

 “Could it be any other way?”

“No, I suppose not, “Bucky sighed. “I need a fucking drink. Now.”

Steve couldn’t have agreed more.

 The familiar burn of scotch brought relief to the old soldiers as they knocked back another glass. Neither one of them could get drunk, but that didn’t mean they couldn’t enjoy the taste. Enjoy the memories laced within it.

 The two men sat at the rounded corner of the bar in exactly the same place they had seventy five years ago. Bucky could still hear the faint harmonies of the Andrew Sisters trying to slice through the dull roar of the bar.

“How much do you remember?” Steve asked, placing down his glass on the counter.

“ _You ready to follow Captain America into the jaws of death?”_

“ _Hell no. That little guy from Brooklyn who was too dumb not to run away from a fight. I’m following him.”_

_He felt the burn of scotch numb his throat as it went down. Wanted it to numb his entire body. Wanted it to help him forget._

“ _I might, after this is all over, go dancing.” She was beautiful. Wrapped in crimson, poised, and radiated elegance. She was perfect. She was what his angel deserved. She was what he could actually show the world. He on the other hand…_

“ _Then what are we waiting for?” He felt himself say, trying to sounds unaffected._

“ _The right partner.” And that…wasn’t him…He could never be the right partner. The world wouldn’t let him. Forbade him. Threatened to kill him, kill them, should anyone find out._

 “Enough…,” Bucky murmured bitterly as he quickly picked up the newly filled shot the bar tender had placed down and swallowed it in one take. He groaned as the liquored traveled down his throat and began to warm his insides.

 He knew Steve was going to ask about how much he remembered and he dreaded it all the same. He remembered the predatory gaze Peggy Carter had given Steve the moment she stepped into the bar. He remembered feeling helpless when he couldn’t just outright claim Steve right then and there as _his_. He remembered the overwhelming realization that Steve could _never_ be his, not in public that is and even then…How long could they hide it? How long until they both grew tired of having to hide? How long until one of them left the other for a woman? How long could they be together?

“But how much of ‘enough’ do you remember?” Bucky heard Steve ask, effectively tearing him from his thoughts.

“Remember the conversation we had here.” Bucky motioned at the bar. “Remember seeing Peggy Carter walk in through the front door.” His hand quickly pointed at the door. “Remember that predatory gaze she gave you.” His voice turned bitter. “Remember how you looked at her. Like she hung the fucking moon. While I stood there like a damn third wheel. Watched as she-“Bucky’s voice quivered. His hand began to shake as he gripped the now empty glass of scotch. His hand gripped it so tightly it almost shattered.

 “She could have taken you from me,” Bucky said quietly, almost breathlessly. “She could have easily ripped you from my arms and I couldn’t have done a damn thing about it.”

It still hadn’t sunk in for Bucky how much things have changed, how much society has changed. Bucky was still expecting someone to report him and Steve and they be dragged out into the streets and beaten to death. He’s still expecting an angry mob outside the tower demanding they be “cleansed of their sins” and burned at the stake. He was still expecting Peggy to magically come back and steal Steve away, because she was something Bucky wasn’t. She could give him something he _never_ could.

 “Never,” Steve said fiercely, taking Bucky’s shaking hand into his. “She could never take me away from you. Even if we never ended up here, seventy five years later, I would _still_ have stayed by your side. ‘Till the end of the line remember?”

Bucky turned to look at Steve, a small smile on his face. The world had thrown everything at them. Neither Hydra nor S.H.I.E.L.D. nor the U.S. Government could keep them apart. They’d _always_ find a way back to each other. In a thousand different worlds. In a thousand different lifetimes. Their souls would always find their ways back to one another.

“I love you, Bucky,” Steve said firmly. “Never once have I ever doubted that. For God’s sake I started a civil war because the government wanted to take you away from me. I almost caused our friends to get thrown in jail all because I couldn’t stand the possibility of losing you again.” Steve could feel his eyes begin to burn, tears threatening to spill over. “I landed a damn plane into the ocean because I’d have rather died than live another day without you.”

 “Steve Rogers I swear to God if you make me cry in this damn bar I’ll-“Bucky didn’t get to finish his sentence before Steve leaned over and firmly kissed him, effectively silencing the other man’s threat. If it was even possible, Bucky felt every ounce of love Steve had for him in that single kiss. If he had any doubts about their relationship, about their future, it was swept away by Steve’s kiss.

 “ _Well what are we waiting for?”_

 “ _The right partner.” She smiled gently, a glint in her eyes. “But it would seem that you’ve already found the right partner.” She knew. She’d always known. “Just be careful you two. Now if you’ll excuse me. Have a wonderful evening gentlemen, Captain, Sergeant.” She left the bar just as elegantly as she had when she entered._

_Bucky felt his heart ache._

_Peggy Carter…Never again would he ever meet another woman, another human being, like her again in his lifetime._

“ _Come with me,” Steve said as he took hold of Bucky’s hand and dragged him outside the bar and into the cold, dark night._

“ _What’re we doing out here, Steve? It’s cold as balls.” They’d been out here for not even a minute and Bucky could feel the bitter cold seeping through his clothes and burrow into his skin._

“ _I have something to ask you,” Steve said as he shifted nervously from one foot to the other. His hand rubbing the back of his neck feverously. “And after almost losing you at the Hydra base I can’t let this go unsaid.”_

Bucky felt his lips move with Steve’s as the kiss deepened. Steve’s other hand had migrated to the back of Bucky’s neck, nimble fingers playing with the short hairs. The sergeant groaned in response. Before he could push for more Steve pulled away, effectively breaking the kiss, much to the other man’s dismay.

“You’re such a tease,” Bucky said breathlessly. “Always have been.” Steve just smirked and placed a quick, chaste kiss on Bucky’s lips. “Such a damn tease.”

~: :~

 Time seemed to flow by as the team laughed, swapped tales and consumed pint after pint of the beer. Bucky and Steve had joined the other men not long after their little heated exchange, but not without a barrage of mocking looks and incredibly personal questions regarding who “pitched and who caught” from Tony.

 “And then this delivery guy knocks on my window while I’m helping Rhode with his psychical therapy and asks, ‘Is there a Tony Stank here?’”

 The entire table erupts with laughter. Clint felt his drink spew out of his nose as he nearly falls backwards out of his chair. Bucky slams his right hand onto the table unable to hold back his boisterous laughter. Steve went into a coughing fit from laughing too hard.

“Tony Stank? Oh my God that is priceless!” Sam shouted as he tried to catch his breath before he passed out. “Jesus Christ you can’t make that shit up!”

 “It’s true!” Tony replied while taking a swig of his drink. “I’m smart, down right Einstein level, but even _I_ can’t make up something like Tony Stank!”

 The men went on laughing, uninterrupted, for a good ten minutes.

 It was nice, just to relax, to laugh, to be here, like this, among friends. The world wasn’t in any immediate danger. Hydra wasn’t rising from the ashes right at this moment. The U.S. government wasn’t sending in the SWAT team to try and arrest Bucky. Everything was…peaceful.

People like the Avengers didn’t get to have “normal” lives. They didn’t get to just stop being who they are. Bucky would never stop being the Winter Soldier. Steve would never stop being Captain America. Tony would never stop being Iron Man. Clint would never stop being Hawkeye. Sam would never stop being Falcon. Natasha would never stop being Black Widow. They could never just stop being icons, symbols, heroes. No matter how much they all wish they could even if it was just for a single moment.

The civil war that erupted between them, that divided their family, made it very clear. But it also made it clear that _nothing_ could ever truly tear their tight nit family apart. No one could ever disband their marry band of misfits. Bucky wouldn’t let them. Steve wouldn’t let them. Tony wouldn’t let them. Sam wouldn’t let them. Natasha wouldn’t let them. Clint wouldn’t let them. Every single Avenger had a story of grief, of triumph, of redemption and that… _that_ made them strong, because they didn’t have to go at it alone anymore.

“Aw shit,” Tony moaned when he checked his watch. “It’s almost time to meet back at the quin jet.”

“Has it been an hour already?” Clint asked, a frown appearing on his face. Who knows when they’d be able to do this again. The world needed some major renovations, especially after the Avengers rolled in and took out any remaining Hydra bases or agents; places like Sokovia and Nepal.

“Come on guys,” Sam groaned as he stood up, feeling the joints in his back pop. “Time to back before Natasha comes and hunts us down.”

“Trust me when I say you _don’t_ want Nat hunting you down,” Clint quickly added.

“In your case you enjoy her hunting you down like a wild animal don’t cha, Clint?” Bucky teased. Clint merely shrugged with a shit eating grin plastered on his face neither confirming nor denying Bucky’s statement.

Tony payed the bill, which was enough to completely rebuild Sokovia or at least that’s how it felt to Bucky and Steve when they caught a glimpse at the bill. When you can’t get drunk off of non-Asgardian mead or ale, two certain super soldiers could easily blow through three or four bottles of scotch each then just as quickly switch to top shelf rum and consume the same amount if not more.

“This is chump change, boys,” Tony remarked with a smirk. “You should see how much _one_ of my designer suits costs.”

~: :~

 Bucky was the last to walk out of the bar, trailing behind Steve and the rest of the guys. When he stepped out onto the sidewalk he felt something pull his head to the left. He saw that the street led out of the town and just slightly to the right of it there was a small dirt road almost completely hidden by trees. Something about it felt…familiar.

_It was cold, snow fell steadily around them. It was dead quiet. Not a single sound could be heard._

_It was as if they were the only two people in the world. Why did that suddenly fill his heart with joy and s_ _et his mind at ease?_

“ _What is it that you wanted to ask me, Steve?” Bucky was confused and nervous and anxious and-_

“ _Marry me,” Steve said suddenly._

“ _What?” Bucky gawked, completely taken aback._

“ _I um, I had this all planned out in my head,” Steve started rambling, a thin layer of sweat clear on his forehead._

“ _Steve I…I don’t-” Bucky was finding it difficult to form a coherent sentence. Bucky couldn’t believe what Steve had just said. Well it was more like he couldn’t more than he wouldn’t…_

“ _Is that a no? Jesus I knew I should have waited until we got to the location! Oh God, Bucky I’m so sorry I sprang this on you!” Steve started panicking. He couldn’t breathe. His heart was racing. Suddenly he felt Bucky’s warm hands encompassed his face and his soft lips press against his._

_Everything suddenly stopped._

_Steve exhaled slowly as he felt relief wash over him. Bucky had that overwhelming effect on him. He always has ever since they were kids._

_Bucky placed one final kiss on Steve’s lips and pulled away._

“ _Is-is that a yes?” Steve asked nervously. The sergeant chuckled and nodded his head. Steve started laughing, a giant smile plastered on his face as he picked him up, spinning him around. Bucky still couldn’t believe his little Stevie wasn’t so little anymore. He wasn’t the little firecracker that weighed 110 pounds soaking wet and that Bucky had grown up with and had come to love fiercely._

“ _Put me down ya, Punk!” Bucky giggled. “Before anyone sees!”_

_When his feet touched the ground, Steve grabbed Bucky’s hand and quickly led him down the dimly lit street until they reached a small dirt path that was almost complete obstructed by trees._

Bucky didn’t realize he was standing at the foot of the path until the pine needles began scraping against his face.

 “Bucky!” The man turned his head towards the person calling his name. Steve was running down the street dodging traffic as he ran across to the other side. A few cars honked at him and he narrowly missed being hit head on twice.

 “Bucky!” Steve called out as he finally caught up to him. “Wha-what are you doing here?”

“I remember this trail,” Bucky murmured. “You took me down here after you proposed.”

“You remember that?” Steve asked, completely shocked and taken aback. He always wondered in the back of his mind if Bucky had remembered that at one time they were “married”. Well, as married as people like them could have been back then. Steve wasn’t given a chance to ask Bucky anymore questions as the man started pushing away the pine needles and various branches crowding his path.

Steve had almost completely forgotten about this path, had almost completely forgotten what had happened at the end of it.

Almost fifteen minutes later Bucky reached the end of the trail and there before him stood an old abandoned warehouse. Parts of the metal roofing had caved in, snow steadily falling through the hole. Rust was steadily eating away at the sides of the entire building. One could almost mistake the rust for the building’s paint job. The elements and time itself has not been kind.

But this warehouse meant something extremely important and Bucky was determined to find out what and why. Steve trailed behind him silently, not uttering a single word. It would have confused Bucky if he wasn’t so focused on getting inside the decaying building.

When he reached the giant, rusted out, metal sliding door his entire body froze. Everything was silent. It was as if the entire Earth had stood still. All he could hear was the constant high pitched ringing in his ears. What resided inside this building was the key to regaining a piece of who he used to be before Hydra ripped him apart and rebuilt him in their image.

Bucky placed both hands on the door and proceeded to try and open it. The door wouldn’t budge. It was rusted from the inside out as if no one has been inside in _several_ decades. Bucky used all of his strength and little by little the door slide to the right. He could hear the gears in his metal arm whirling and the plates shifting to accommodate the pressure being applied to them.

Steve got up beside Bucky, taking hold of the door as well, and helped him slide it open. It took a good ten minutes even with their total combined super human strength to get it slid all the way back to the right. When Bucky finally saw inside the warehouse he felt a tidal wave of emotions crash over him as memories started flooding back.

“ _What is this place, Steve?” Bucky asked as his eyes began to adjust to the darkness. The only source of light was the moon and a small lantern hanging above the giant sliding door of the warehouse._

“ _You’ll see,” was all Steve said as he continued to pull Bucky by his arm._

_The man huffed in annoyance. He hated not being told anything. It was clear Steve had all this planned and purposefully left Bucky out of the loop. It frustrated him because he_ was _the loop damn it. The loopy part of the loop? Ya that’s him._

_Bucky could feel his heart beat racing as Steve let go of his hand when they reached the door and grabbed the side of it, sliding it open. When Bucky peered inside his eyes went wide at what he saw._

_Dum Dum, Gabe, Jim, Montgomery, Jacques and Peggy all stood around a giant, blue industrial metal barrel. Several dozen candles stood on small shipping boxes and palates of wood around the group bathing them all in a warm, almost bronze like, light. A military radio was propped up on one of the palates and Bucky could hear Claire De Lune playing softly. The beautiful, melodic chords echoed off the metal walls and it filled Bucky’s ears. This was the song he and Steve had their first dance to. It was also during that dance they had their first kiss and “pulled their heads outta their asses” as Bucky put it._

_Bucky immediately turned to look a Steve with a face of both confusion and shock._

“ _What’s all this?” Bucky asked completely bewildered. Steve didn’t reply, only took Bucky’s hand once again and led him to the others._

“ _Let’s do it,” Steve said firmly as he turned to look at Bucky. “Right here. Right now.”_

“ _Don’t joke around, Punk,” Bucky replied immediately, in no mood for games._

“ _Who says I’m joking? I’m as serious as a heart attack, Jerk.”_

_He took both of Bucky’s hands into his._

“ _I don’t want to die knowing we didn’t do this. I wanna go to meet my maker knowing I did so as your husband. So I’ll say it again.”_

_Letting go of Bucky’s left hand but still holding firmly onto his right, Steve got down on one knee and said, “James Buchanan Barnes, will you marry me?”_

_Bucky didn’t even have to think about it. He knew the answer. He’s_ always _known the answer. He didn’t give a shit if only the Commandos knew. He didn’t care if their marriage wasn’t “official.” It was official to them and in the eyes of God, regardless of how the rest of the world felt._

“ _Yes, I will,” Bucky answered softly. “I will marry you.”_

_All Steve could do was smile that beautiful smile that never failed to make Bucky’s knees go weak and his heart flutter. The blonde stood up and once again lovingly took the brunette’s hands into his._

The warehouse was nearly empty, stripped bare by looters over the years. A huge pile of snow had accumulated beneath the giant hole in the ceiling; creating uneven layers of snow from where it had collapsed then built itself back up then collapsed again. The wooden pallets that had once been there had either been stolen or been buried beneath the snow and the small shipping boxes had long since disintegrated back into the earth.

But something had survived, had remained from the first and last time Bucky had been here over seven decades ago; the metal barrel.

As if on autopilot, Bucky’s legs began to move and take him towards the lone survivor. The blue paint was completely gone, eaten away and replaced with rust, aside from one or two spots where the paint had all but chipped away.

Using his flesh hand, Bucky brushed his fingertips across the top of the barrel. The rust had made the surface extremely rough and sharp. He could feel it nip at his rough and callused fingertips.

 Bucky closed his eyes and he swore he could _feel_ the Howling Commandos standing around him, smiling, their love radiating. He missed them. God he missed them so damn much it hurt. They were his brothers and some of the best friends, some of the best _people_ , he’d ever met. They _never once_ judged him and Steve about their relationship. They were nothing but supportive and always covered for them when the rare occasion presented itself and he and Steve could sneak away to share a private, intimate moment. The thought of them selling him and Steve out never once crossed his mind.

“ _We’ll take it to our grave, Sarge,” Dum Dum said when they’d found out about him and Steve. “You and Steve are our brothers. Don’t give a damn which hole you stick it in so long as the enemy don’t catch y_ _a with yer_ _damn pants ‘round yer ankles.”_

 Bucky could feel memories breaking through Hydra’s barrier, swirling and interlocking with the mass droves of memories he’d acquired over the course of the past hour. His head was sore. So many images, so many sounds, so many events he forgot ever happened all came flooding back and it’s taken him by surprise to say the least.

“There’s not a day that goes by that I don’t think about them,” Steve said, slightly startling Bucky who’d been lost in thought, when he arrived next to him. He placed his hand next to Bucky’s and gently moved it in small circles.

“The first thing I did when I woke up was look for them. I was so desperate to find _someone, anyone_ from our time. Every S.H.I.E.L.D. profile they had on each of them all had the same thing stamped across the file; deceased. All but Peggy’s...”

“Sometimes I catch myself wondering how things would have played out had none of this happened.” Bucky lifted up his metal arm and scowled. “Had I not fallen off the train and you didn’t crash the plane into the ocean.”

Steve couldn’t say he never thought about it either. To be honest that’s _all_ he thought about from the moment he first woke up and was told about what happened to him, to his friends, to his old life. There were many sleepless nights where all he could think about was what if? What if he _had_ found a way to land the plane safely? What if he _had_ managed to save Bucky? What if…what if…what if.

The what if’s will kill you faster than anything…And for Steve it almost did.

“ _Bucky, we’ve known each other our whole lives. Ever since we were five years old and Billy Lewinski pushed me off the slide in Kindergarten and you gave him a black eye.”_

“ _Been saving your ass from the moment I met you,” Bucky said with a toothy grin._

“ _I had him on the ropes,” Steve countered. “But I’ve known from that moment you and I would always be together. As friends as…more than friends…Whatever we ended up being I knew we’d always be together.”_

  _Steve cleared his throat, trying to keep his composure long enough to finish speaking what’s he’s been wanting to say for almost twenty years._

“ _When Colonel Philips told me you and the 107_ _th_ _were captured and that he’d signed a condolence letter to send to your folks, I felt my heart stop. I couldn’t breathe. I couldn’t even comprehend living in a world without you in it,” Steve choked. Tears were beginning to spill across his face. He felt a million different emotions all at once. “I love you, Bucky. I love you more than words can even possibly express.”_

“ _I love you too, Steve,” Bucky replied, tears also threatening to spill over. “I loved you when you were just a little ball of fire ready to pop off at any bully you got your hands on and I love you now, not as Captain America, but as Steve Rogers who is now a_ giant _ball of fire ready to pop off at any bully you get your hands on.”_

_Tears were now steadily flowing from both men’s eyes. They knew that at any moment death could claim them, but right now, the war raging on outside these walls might as well have been a million miles away. The rest of the world seemed to melt away as Steve, Bucky, Peggy and the rest of the Howling Commandos were gathered together in this warehouse in war torn Austria. It was freezing both inside and outside, but inside this circle, all that could be felt was warmth and overwhelming love._

“They were so happy for us…,” Bucky said sadly. “Dum Dum had given you his father’s wedding ring to wear, since you’d given me _your_ father’s wedding ring. ‘Consider it my wedding gift and as my blessing,’ he said.”

Steve looked down at his left hand and wanted to cry. It was gone. Dum Dum’s gift, the only thing he had to remember not only him, but him and Bucky’s marriage, was gone. Steve thinks when he hit the water the force of the impact snapped the gold band and went flying somewhere on the floor.

Steve, for weeks after he woke up, could still feel the simple gold band around his finger. He wanted to cry. He was angry and sad and heart broken and alone. He was _all alone_. His time had gone and passed; found a new home in between the pages of a history book, but his _home_ he thought was buried at the foot of the Alps under seventy years’ worth of snow.

Bucky was now painfully away of what used to be around his left ring finger; his wedding ring. It belonged to Steve’s father. When he fell from the train and hit the icy ground, his left arm was torn off, lost to the ice and snow forever along with his wedding ring. Bucky could remember crying in his cell when he realized it was gone. He remembered screaming for Steve to come save him. He remembered screaming for his _husband_. He had lost the only physical piece he had of his marriage. No, it had been _stolen_ from him not lost. Hydra _stole_ it.

“They robbed us of our lives, Steve,” Bucky growled as he felt his metal hand grip the edge of the barrel. “They took away our right to _choose_.”

 Bucky could feel his fingers begin to meld into the rusted metal; could feel it breaking beneath the force. He was so angry. Hydra stole his memories. Hydra stole Steve away from him. Hydra took _everything_ he and Steve had. Well he was done being a victim. He was done being everyone’s prisoner.

“Ask me again,” Bucky said suddenly as he turned his body to face Steve.

“What?” Steve asked slightly bewildered, eye brows furrowing. Clearly he and Bucky were having a conversation he didn’t remember ever being a part of.  

“I took back what they stole from me, Steve. Now it’s your turn to take back what they stole from you. So I’ll say it one more time. Ask me again.”

  _Ask me to marry you again. For the love of God ask me again._

“We don’t have to hide anymore, Steve,” Bucky said gently as he cupped Steve’s cheek with his right hand, softly running his thumb along the line of his bottom lip. “We don’t have to be afraid. The world has changed…”

Steve’s breath hitched when he heard Bucky utter the last line.

“ _The world has changed_ _a_ _nd neither of us can go back. All we can do is our best, and sometimes the best that we can do is to start over.”_

_Sometimes the best we can do is to start over…_

Steve turned into Bucky’s hand, placing a soft kiss on his palm then placed his left hand over it. Bending down on one knee, still holding Bucky’s hand, Steve looked up at the man and without a single trace of doubt or hesitation asked, “James Buchanan Barnes, will you marry me? For the second time?”

“Yes, I will,” Bucky replied almost instantly, giving Steve the warmest smile he thinks he’s ever given anyone. “I will marry you…again.”

“Well it’s about damn time,” a voice suddenly called out, starling the two men. Immediately Steve jumped to his feet, stepping in front of Bucky as if to shield him from whomever had dare to intrude on their private moment.

Natasha and the rest of the team were standing at the front of the warehouse.

“Stand down soldier,” Natasha said as she walked towards them; the rest of the team following behind her. “It’s just us.”

“How’d you find us?” Steve asked immediately as Bucky came out from behind him, taking his place beside him.

Natasha pointed to her ear. “Earpieces. I can track them all should we ever be in a situation where radio silence is required, but backup is requested.”

Bucky scoffed. Natasha was always two steps ahead it seems. Just gives him another reason to never piss her off. For an entire year he was paranoid she’d try to get revenge on him for nearly choking her to death when Zemo triggered him and the Winter Soldier took over again.

“When you and Bionicle went AWOL we had to try and find you before one of you broke a hip,” Tony said cheekily. “Called Widow to see where you two wondered off to and it led us here.” Tony gestured around the decaying warehouse.

“How much did you hear?” Steve asked before Bucky even had a chance to open his mouth.

“Enough,” Natasha replied with a smirk on her face and a glint in her eyes. “I was wondering when one of you would get your head out of your asses and pop the question. Only took seventy five years.”

It had taken a long time, both men will agree without hesitation. If they lived in a perfect world they’d have already been _married_ for seventy five years, not trying to _make up_ for seventy five years of lost time. But they didn’t live in a perfect world and life had other plans than them living their lives together, happily married and growing old together with their friends, with their _family_. They’ve had to fight to get where they are. They’ve earned the right to be happy.

“If there’s gonna be a wedding,” Sam deadpanned, stepping forward with his arms crossed around his chest staring Steve dead in the eye. “ _I’m_ gonna be your best man. Traveled around the world lookin’ for your boyfriend. Sorry, your _fiancé_ , and I’ll be damned if you pick Stark or Barton.”

“Can’t get married without my best _wing man_ now can I?” Steve joked, giving Sam a toothy grin that makes Sam want to slap the crap out of him. Sam was unamused or at least he tried to appear like he wasn’t. Both Steve and Bucky could see the corner of his lip curve ever so slightly upward as if he was trying not to laugh.

“That was so bad,” Bucky laughed, lightly shoving Steve on his shoulder. Never let be said that Steve Rogers' humor was completely flawless. Sam's poker face shattered and he broke out laughing. Steve's horrible pun was too much for him to handle. It apparently was too much for the entire team as well who then joined in on the laughing and immediately the crumbling warehouse was filled with warmth, laughter and peace. It was nice, comforting and a complete contrast to the outside world beyond these metal walls.

Suddenly a booming voice came from the front of the warehouse asking, “Have I missed the ceremony?” The entire team was startled by the sudden outburst and quickly took offensive positions ready to kill whoever or whatever was there. All except Natasha who hadn't taken up her attack stance with the rest of the team and appeared as if she knew someone was going to show up.

“I was starting to think you couldn't find the place,” Natasha replied to the voice as she slowly turned around to face the doorway. “Glad you could make it, your Highness.”

Steve was the first to lower his fists as he'd left his shield in the quin jet and arched his brow in confusion. Bucky quickly turned to look at Steve and reluctantly lowered his combat knife. Bucky was too paranoid about Hydra coming back to ever go anywhere without a weapon. He also keeps an array of weapons hidden throughout he and Steve's home back at the tower on the off chance Hydra or another rouge AI tries to kill them again. Bucky may no longer be Hydra's Winter Soldier, but that doesn't mean he can just stop and forget the assassin instincts that'd been instilled in him.

Sam, Clint and Tony quickly followed suit and dropped their stances.

The figure walked towards them and they saw who it was; King T'Challa of Wakanda.

“Forgive me for startling you,” T'Challa apologized. “But I wanted to give my wedding gift personally.”

“The entire country won't go up in flames without you, cat man?” Sam asked jokingly.

“A country isn't run solely by a single person, _bird man_ ,” T'Challa retorted. “I can afford to step away from my people for a moment in order to attend the joining of two souls.” The king turned his head to look at Steve and Bucky and gave them a warm smile.

“It's nice to see you again, your Highness,” Steve said with a gracious bow that T'Challa politely returned.

“Not here to finish the job I hope,” Bucky said cheekily as he extended his hand towards the man.

“No, I'm afraid not,” T'Challa smirked and shook Bucky's hand firmly. “My father would want me to be here and I wouldn't miss this for the world.”

Bucky couldn't help but give the king a heartfelt smile. They hadn't exactly gotten off on the right foot considering the first time they met Bucky was trying not to be ripped to shreds by Black Panther's claws as well as run from the U.S. government. Bucky didn't hold a grudge for too long when he found out Zemo had framed him for his father's murder and that's why Black Panther was so hell bent on killing him. Hell it was thanks to his country's amazing physicians that Bucky was able to avoid cryo and finally be rid of Hydra's brainwashing. He owed T'Challa his life. He's the whole reason Bucky is even standing here with Steve a man free of Hydra's influence.

“I'm glad you're here, you're Majesty,” Bucky said as he took back his hand.

“I'm not a king here, my friend,” T'Challa said with a flick of his hand. “Merely a guest at a wedding. Speaking of which.” T'Challa quickly reached into his back pocket, pulled out a small silver box and presented it to Bucky and Steve.

The two men took the box and opened to see what gift the king had given them. The moment the light touched the inside, both men stopped breathing, shocked by what they saw. Inside were two immaculate rings. One was silver with a red star and two sets of three thin lines that looks liked the plates on Bucky's metal arm on both sides with the words _'cause I'm with you_ engraved beside it. The other was blue with a white star and two sets of three thick white lines on both sides creating a wing like effect with the words _'till the end of the line_ engraved beside it as well.

“I had my people fashion them completely out of vibranium,” T'Challa informed them. “You are Avengers and the world will always need your help, so regular metals just won't cut it. These rings must be as resilient and as strong as your love.”

“T'Challa these are...beautiful,” Steve said breathlessly, unable to look away from the rings. He'd never seen a pair of rings more beautiful, more perfect than the ones in he and Bucky's hands. There was not a single flaw in them. Their colors were the most vibrant shades of red and blue and the sunlight danced upon the vibranium. Never had either men been given such a wonderful, heartfelt gift.

Back before the war the two men could barely afford to eat, keep a roof over their heads and keep Steve's medications filled. Bucky worked odd jobs in between his time at the docks and even with all that they just barely made enough to cover everything. Steve couldn't do any back breaking labor due to his health issues and almost all the jobs available involved just that. He managed to make a little cash by going down to Coney Island and selling his sketches and drawings, but it was no where near the amount Bucky made nor anywhere near being enough to afford any sort of luxuries. Gifts, such as the wedding rings T'Challa had given them, were just pictures plastered in JC Penny's and Sears catalogs. Gifts they'd never be able to afford, even if they saved up for an entire year.

“You two have been through more than any one person, let alone _two_ , should ever have to go through,” T'Challa said. “You both deserve happiness and this gift is my contribution to that.”

“You know,” Bucky said as he looked up from the rings and turned his gaze to T'Challa. “Steve has _his_ best man, but I have yet to pick mine or a ring man. How good are you at multitasking?”

The King of Wakanda merely gave Bucky a wicked grin.

~: :~

The entire team gathered around the barrel, the sole remaining relic from a time long since passed, and surrounded Steve and Bucky. Sam was on Steve's left. A fact that Steve couldn't resist pointing out when he mumbled just loud enough for Sam to hear, _on your left_. Sam discreetly kicked his ankle in response, his face never loosing composure.

T'Challa was on Bucky's right and held the box containing the rings. He stood naturally prominent next to the brunette, waiting for his cue.

It was like they were back in 1943 again. Here, in the warehouse, surrounded by their friends, their _family_. Steve and Bucky held each others' hands, goofy smiles plastered on their faces. Even though it's been over seventy years, the two men could _feel_ Peggy and the Howling Commandos enveloping them with the same warmth and love and support they'd shown them all the first time they were here.

_The first time._ Neither men could believe it. They were given a second chance at love, at life, at happiness. God knows they've fought tooth and nail for this second chance, but they earned it none the less. And now for the _second_ time, they are able to stand hand in hand together to pledge their eternal love for each other with their family surrounding them, both new and old.

Tony had volunteered to be the minister since apparently he's an ordained minister. During his years at MIT he had lost a bet to his roommate when he failed to get the phone number of a woman living three doors down from him. Turns out she was a lesbian and was anything but interested in Tony. They became very close friends not too long after that and still keep in touch even now. Tony has lunch with her and her wife at least once a month if not more depending on if the world is in peril or not. Regardless, a day later, Anthony “Tony” Stark was deemed by the great state of Massachusetts an official ordained minister.

“Since this isn't your first rodeo,” Tony started. “I won't go the traditional route and just let you guys do all the work since you've already gotten hitched before.”

“Even as a short notice minister you're lazy as hell, Tony,” Natasha huffed. Tony merely shrugged his shoulders in reply.

It's all right though. Steve and Bucky were never ones for tradition. If they were, they wouldn't be standing here. If they were, they wouldn't have expressed their feelings for one another when they were fifteen. If they were, they wouldn't have made love for the first time on Steve's sixteenth birthday under the light of the moon and the thundering and crackling of fireworks outside. No, Steve and Bucky have never and will never be ones for tradition.

“Oh, before I forget,” Tony mumbled as he pulled out his phone and started typing on his phone. “Can't forget the music can we?” Not a moment later, the sweet, melodic and all too familiar chords of _Claire De Lune_ began to softly play from Tony's phone. How Tony even knew that this song was special and extremely significant to Steve and Bucky no one could say. Maybe he didn't know and he just happened to have heard it before and thought it was perfect wedding music material. Regardless, as soon as the two men heard those first three notes, a tsunami of emotions crashed over them. They couldn't keep their heads above water and the ocean of memories began to drag them into the deep.

They had been here before. Done this all before. There was no need to repeat themselves. Everything had already been said, had already been made clear. They'd been married once before, _have_ been married all this time. Nothing could tear them apart, not for long that it is. Not Hydra, not S.H.I.E.L.D., not the U.S. government, not time, not even Death itself. And even if they all did, their souls would find each other again. In a thousand different worlds, in a thousand different lifetimes, time would bring their hearts, their souls, back together.

Hand in hand, hearts and souls bonded, only one set of vows needed to be said and it came as effortlessly to them as breathing.

“Now, with your hands in mine, I free you from winter’s grasp. Embrace my love for it shall warm you the rest of your days. Accept the gift of life that resides in each of my breaths for any one could be my last. Take communion every time our mouths meld and our bodies become one. Your pain is my pain. Your worries are my worries. Your fears are my fears. We are one soul inhabiting two bodies and neither time nor death can tear us apart.” A pause. A single intake of breath.“‘Cause I’m with you ‘till the end of the line.”

Slowly their heads moved closer together until two pairs of soft lips met and melded into one, tears flowing steadily like a river from both pairs of eyes.

The immense love that radiated from the two men could be felt by everyone present in that warehouse, both now and past. And if one couldn't, then they weren't _truly_ there.

It felt like a small eternity, but the kiss eventually came to a close and Steve and Bucky slowly pulled away from one another. When they regained consciousness of the world around them, they were both met with an entire circle of crying faces. There was not a single dry eye.

Tony wiped his eyes and cleared his throat. “You guys skipped ahead.” A sniffle. “You forget how a wedding works, huh?” Another sniffle. “You're supposed to exchange rings first.”

Bucky let out a small laugh. “Sorry, Tin Man. Got a bit ahead of ourselves.” Bucky turned his head towards T'Challa and gave him a nod. The king immediately took his place in front of Steve and Bucky and opened the box containing the rings.

“Shit, you guys already said your vows. What little there were…,” Tony grumbled, pretending to be upset when he was anything but. “Go on and exchange rings.”

Steve took Bucky's ring from its place in the box and slid it gingerly onto Bucky's _right_ ring finger. Steve wants Bucky to _feel_ the cool metal against his flesh every time he moves his hand. He wants Bucky to be reminded of how far they've both come; what they've been through to get here. He wants Bucky to feel a surge of pride, of love, every time he sees it.

“Fits like a dream,” Steve said just above a whisper, so only Bucky could hear. The brunette gave him a tender smile, eyes aglow with love.

Bucky took his turn and plucked Steve's ring from the box, using his flesh hand, and slid it with as much love and grace as Steve did onto his left ring finger. Just like his, it fits like a dream. Bucky ran his thumb over the band and couldn't help but let the tears begin to fall again. Never in his wildest dreams did he _ever_ imagine he and Steve in this position again. For the longest time he believed that when he was turned into the Winter Soldier that that was it. That was how he was going to live and die; a weapon of Hydra. But Steve saved him. Delivered him from evil into his warm and loving arms.

“By the power vested in me by the great state of Massachusetts,” Tony announced. “I now pronounce you husband and husband. You may now kiss each other, even though you already did that,” Tony mumbled the last part.

Steve and Bucky just smiled and once again leaned in and placed a tender kiss upon each others lips. Then another and another, never seeming to get enough. They could hear their friends clapping and cheering around them.

“That was beautiful you two,” Natasha said as Steve and Bucky broke apart. “Best wedding I've ever been to.”

“Hopefully not the last though,” Bucky replied. Glancing back and forth between her and Clint. “I'm still waiting for Steve and I's invitation.”

Natasha softly grinned as she felt Clint intertwine his hand into hers and placed a chaste kiss on his lips.

“Maybe one day soon we'll get around to it,” Clint said against Natasha's lips who then proceeded to kiss her again.

The rest of the team eventually got around to telling Steve and Bucky how beautiful the wedding was, even though it took place in a decaying warehouse in the freezing cold. It didn't matter where they got married. It could be on Mars for all they cared.

“It was an honor to be a part of your wedding, gentlemen,” T'Challa said when his turn to speak to the newly married couple came up. “A thousand blessings be upon you and your marriage. Now if you will pardon me, I must be getting back to Wakanda.”

“Thanks for being my best man and ring man at such short notice,” Bucky laughed.

“It was a pleasure having you here, T'Challa.” T'Challa grinned when Steve did not call him “your highness” or King T'Challa.

He pulled the two men into a friendly hug and bid the entire team farewell as he turned to leave the warehouse.

“Looks like we're stuck with each other,” Bucky said with a sigh.

“Just can't get rid of you can I?” Steve said jokingly. “Should have objected to this when I had the chance.”

“Can't take it back now, Punk. 'Cause I'm with you 'till the end of the line.”

“'Till the end of the line, Jerk,” Steve replied with a smile.

It's been a long journey. One filled with pain, sadness, sorrow and loss, but it has finally come to an end. Now a new journey has begun and this journey will be filled with nothing but love and happiness and discovery. They have the rest of their lives to live the life they've always dreamed of living. The world has changed and neither of us can go back, but maybe that's not always a bad thing. New doors are opened while old ones close. Steve and Bucky are ready to face whatever trials come there way, because that's how it's always been. Just them against the whole entire world; together, hand in hand. And neither of them would have it any other way.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope this went according to everyone's expectations. I know some parts may seem a little rocky or at least it may seem like it to me, but none the less I hope it was worth the wait! Also I realized after publishing that vows are exchanged first before the rings...But like I said Steve and Bucky have never been ones for tradition so I guess this counts towards that!  
> The Rings:https://www.pinterest.com/pin/481040803932076977/

**Author's Note:**

> This is only part one of two since by the time I finished this one part it was over 7,000 words...So I decided to break it up into two parts. I'm a little rusty on writing smut so I apologize if it wasn't up to pare with what ya'll are familiar with. Hope ya'll stick around for the last part. There are major feels in it! Oh if I missed any tags please let me know!


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